Act IV.—­Even Don Gusman’s heart was, in fact, unable to steel itself entirely against the prayers and tears of his father and his wife; and he consented to allow a brief respite to Zamore’s execution.  Alzire was not slow to seize this opportunity of doing her lover a good turn; for she immediately obtained his release by the ingenious stratagem of bribing the warder of the dungeon.  Zamore was free.  But alas!  Alzire was not; was she not wedded to the wicked Gusman?  Her lover’s expostulations fell on unheeding ears.  What mattered it that her marriage vow had been sworn before an alien God?  ’J’ai promis; il suffit; il n’importe a quel dieu!’

    ZAMORE:  Ta promesse est un crime; elle est ma perte; adieu. 
    Perissent tes serments et ton Dieu que j’abhorre!

    ALZIRE:  Arrete; quels adieux! arrete, cher Zamore!

But the prince tore himself away, with no further farewell upon his lips than an oath to be revenged upon the Governor.  Alzire, perplexed, deserted, terrified, tortured by remorse, agitated by passion, turned for comfort to that God, who, she could not but believe, was, in some mysterious way, the Father of All.

Great God, lead Zamore in safety through the desert places. ...  Ah! can it be true that thou art but the Deity of another universe?  Have the Europeans alone the right to please thee?  Art thou after all the tyrant of one world and the father of another? ...  No!  The conquerors and the conquered, miserable mortals as they are, all are equally the work of thy hands....

Her reverie was interrupted by an appalling sound.  She heard shrieks; she heard a cry of ‘Zamore!’ And her confidante, rushing in, confusedly informed her that her lover was in peril of his life.

    Ah, chere Emire [she exclaimed], allons le secourir!

    EMIRE:  Que pouvez-vous, Madame?  O Ciel!

    ALZIRE:  Je puis mourir.

Hardly was the epigram out of her mouth when the door opened, and an emissary of Don Gusman announced to her that she must consider herself under arrest.  She demanded an explanation in vain, and was immediately removed to the lowest dungeon.

Act V.—­It was not long before the unfortunate princess learnt the reason of her arrest.  Zamore, she was informed, had rushed straight from her apartment into the presence of Don Gusman, and had plunged a dagger into his enemy’s breast.  The hero had then turned to Don Alvarez and, with perfect tranquillity, had offered him the bloodstained poniard.

    J’ai fait ce que j’ai du, j’ai venge mon injure;
    Fais ton devoir, dit-il, et venge la nature.

Before Don Alvarez could reply to this appeal, Zamore had been haled off by the enraged soldiery before the Council of Grandees.  Don Gusman had been mortally wounded; and the Council proceeded at once to condemn to death, not only Zamore, but also Alzire, who, they found, had been guilty of complicity in the murder.  It was the unpleasant duty of Don Alvarez to announce to the prisoners the Council’s sentence.  He did so in the following manner: